One of my favorite books of the last few years is John Langan's incredible The Fisherman, the 2016 Stoker Award winner. The Fisherman tells the story of two grieving men who become friends because of their shared passion for fishing (as a means to take their minds off the grief). The hear of a mysterious … Continue reading The Fisherman – Book Review
I Just Realized Why Books With Pictures Are So Great for Kids
Graphic novels, comic books and kids' books with too many pictures are given a bad rap. But a surprising new study shows that we are wrong to worry. (Not that I was worried). Parents are often in a rush to get their kids away from comics and over to "proper" books. But now, thanks to … Continue reading I Just Realized Why Books With Pictures Are So Great for Kids
Two Awesome Quotes From The Hobbit’s 1973 Introduction
In my edition of The Hobbit, cheap mass-market paperback, there is an introduction by Peter S Beagle from 1973 that contains not one but two passages that are amazingly political and powerful. A Quote For Today, From 1973 The Sixties were no fouler a decade than the Fifties - they mere reaped the Fifties' foul … Continue reading Two Awesome Quotes From The Hobbit’s 1973 Introduction
Pixar’s Movies All Suck…
...to begin with, that is. And Pixar isn't afraid to admit this. In the sublime business book Creativity Inc. (which is also a great book on managing creative teams), Ed Catmull explains how this works as they work on a movie. They get sold on an idea, knowing that the first version is going to … Continue reading Pixar’s Movies All Suck…
Four Tin House Covers
I subscribed to Tin House this year. Tin House is a publication that puts out the very best of short fiction and poetry, and getting published there is a sing that you've "got it". The stories are all of the highest quality. Each print issue is also a precious item in it's own right, and … Continue reading Four Tin House Covers
The Simple Thing it Takes to Become a Writer
In his book The Art of War for Writers, James Scott Tell tells us the secret to becoming a successful novelist. ...there is one discipline that stands above all else in the quest for writing success. I was fortunate to get this lesson early in my writing pursuit, and took it to heart. It is … Continue reading The Simple Thing it Takes to Become a Writer
A Short Story About Her Body and Other Parties
I was recently asked by a friend if Her Body and Other Parties was good. I said "No", and the person stared at me. "It's outstanding, " I said. And it really is.
2018 / 2019 Richard Thomas Fiction Writing Course Guide
I wholeheartedly recommend this for anyone looking to step up their writing game.
I’ve decided to teach and write full-time! So that means I’m expanding my catalog of classes, and opening it up to authors of all levels. If you’d like the complete University of Richard Fiction Writing Course Guide, click here to email me now! It includes more information on my classes such as rates, length, overviews, books, and testimonials.
What classes am I offering in 2018 and 2019? Here is the list:
- Short Story Mechanics (LitReactor.com) two weeks long
- Keep It Brief: A Flash Fiction Intensive (LitReactor.com) two weeks long
- Contemporary Dark Fiction (Skype, email, and Facebook) 16 weeks long
- Advanced Creative Writing Workshop (Skype, email, and Facebook) 16 weeks long
- Novel in a Year (via Skype, email, and Facebook) 52 weeks long
Come join the fun! And help take your writing to the next level. Class sizes are small, and payment plans are available, so drop me a note today!
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The Last Policeman – Book Review
You know that thing, when you finally read a book you've heard about again and again but, for whatever reason, haven't gotten around to yet? And then you do and it's awesome. That? Yeah, I just had that with Ben H. Winter's excellent pre-apocalyptic mystery The Last Policeman. The Last Policeman is a book I … Continue reading The Last Policeman – Book Review
Elephants Aglow – A Few Words About THE ONLY HARMLESS GREAT THING
Elephants shouldn't glow. Humans shouldn't be careless with radioactive waste. But good writers should tell good stories, and that brings us to Brooke Bolander's The Only Harmless Great Thing. This tells the story of a woman and an elephant. The way the book is written may make the book slightly less appealing to readers, and … Continue reading Elephants Aglow – A Few Words About THE ONLY HARMLESS GREAT THING
